New Year’s wishes of the Diplomatic Corps accredited in Hungary to Pál Schmitt

Mr. President,

    I am honoured to represent the Holy Father here, and also to be the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and the senior resident Head of Mission accredited to the Republic of Hungary. In this capacity I have the privilege of addressing you, Mr. President, and extending to you our respectful and heartfelt wishes on the occasion of the traditional ceremony of exchange of New Year’s greetings. Please accept, Mr. President, our gratitude for having invited us today and the attention you are showing to the Diplomatic Corps as the President of the Republic, which indeed you have signalled already when you received us last September, at the beginning of your mandate.

Entering into the New Year in Hungary means truly entering into a new reality. Last year’s elections, both political and administrative brought so many substantial changes that we, as diplomats, truly have our hands full in keeping up with these developments. With the new Government, also the position of the President of the Republic followed the process of renovation prescribed by law and tradition. Jokingly I can say that in the midst of so many changes, only the Nuncio has held his position since almost 8 years. I extend my sincere thanks to you, Mr. President, and my dear Colleagues in the Diplomatic Corps, for your patience and benevolence in my regard.

    Mr. President, the presidency of the European Union, which Hungary now holds since the 1st of January, is a great challenge for the new Administration and at the same time a great opportunity to make known to Europe and to the International Community that Hungary has the will and the character to be a leader even in these difficult times. We sincerely wish you every success in this endeavour. In the international context, we cannot forget the ambitious proposals for the renewal of the status of the Hungarian society. 20 years after the change from the dictatorial regime to a democratic reality, we still notice a somewhat hesitant people with a certain nostalgia for the communist past.  Your country, Mr. President, can look back upon many glorious and wonderful moment in its history, but you also realize that the new prospects cannot be build only on the nostalgia. For this reason we look forward with particular interest to see how the Legislators intend to build the future, with the basis of a new Constitution.

Mr. President, you have declared several times already that the new fundamental law in Hungary should derive its strength and legitimacy from the fact that the founder of the Nation, King Saint Istvan, determined to build his kingdom on the Crown received from the Pope Silvestre II and on the Christian values. You confirmed this proposal during your visit to the Vatican where his Holiness Pope Benedict XVI received you with pleasure and, while greeting your Ambassador accredited to the Holy See, on the 2nd of December last, the Pope wished to underline the importance of the family formed on the principals of the natural law. It is certainly in the interest of Hungary that the family regains its traditional status, since the population here has diminished drastically in the recent years, reducing the number of citizens to below 10 million. One can appreciate already how much the new Government intends to tackle this problem, supporting more numerous families and women during the time of their maternity. You will know also that the Catholic Church in Hungary joins the State in this effort, declaring the Year 2011 as the Year of the Family.

The revival of the family life in Hungary can contribute to the common good of the International Family of the Nations. We need to stress our efforts to build the Human Family in peace and prosperity. This year the international community is invited by the Holy Father to guarantee the peace in the world by promoting religious freedom. In his message for the World Day of Peace, entitled “Religious Freedom, the path to peace”, the Pope says: “It is painful to think, that in some areas of the world it is impossible to profess one’s religion freely except at the risk of life and personal liberty…At present, Christians are the religious group which suffers most from the persecution on account of its faith. It is sad but unfortunately true, when the Pope says that: religious fundamentalism and secularism are alike in that both represent extreme forms of a rejection of legitimate pluralism and the principle of secularity”. We are privileged to accomplish our diplomatic duty in this country where religious freedom is truly guaranteed and offers a bright path to peace. With your example we can better follow the remarks of the Pope Benedict who is addressing to us in these words: “Politics and diplomacy should look to the moral and the spiritual patrimony offered by the great religions of the world in order to acknowledge and affirm universal truths, principles and values which cannot be denied without denying the dignity of the human person”.

     Since Hungary will later hand the EU presidency to its well known friendly nation, the Republic of Poland, please allow me a short remark in this respect. By Providence, the bicentennial anniversary of the Polish genius of music, Frederic Chopin, is replaced this year by the bicentennial of the Hungarian musical giant, Ferenc Liszt. In this crucial year of EU presidency, of preparation for the new Constitution and of social and drastic economical transformations, I feel you are lucky to be accompanied by this outstanding composer who contributed so much to the formation of Hungarian soul. A well known Polish journalist, Mr. Waldorf, who often writes about the musical life of the country, used to repeat the sentence: “Music is mellowing the behaviour of a man”. May the new atmosphere in the country, accompanied by wonderful music of Liszt, contribute to the harmony among Hungarians, to the harmony with your neighbours and to the harmony in the minds of your citizens. We are aware that you have to make many sacrifices in order to achieve your ambitious goals, and for this you need perseverance, solidarity and understanding. Let us be inspired by the words of Saint Paul who, in his letter to the Corinthians, composed the famous hymn of love, which concludes with the words: Love endures everything, only love never ends. By coincidence, this also happens to be my bishopric motto. So I hope that you have endured with magnitude of spirit and love also my speech.

    Mr. President, it is a great joy and honour for me and for the colleagues in the Diplomatic Corps to be witnesses of your activity as President of Hungary and, once again, I would like to express our sincere gratitude for your kindness and cordiality towards the diplomats. On behalf of us all gathered here and on behalf of the countries we represent, we wish you a very happy Christmas season and peaceful and prosperous Year 2011 for you, your family and all the citizens of this beautiful country. May the message of your National Anthem be fulfilled:

Isten, áldd meg a magyart,
Jó kedvvel, bőséggel,
Nyújts feléje védő kart,
Ha küzd ellenséggel;
Bal sors akit régen tép,
Hozz rá víg esztendőt,
Megbűnhődte már e nép
A múltat s jövendőt!